Superheater.



C. D. YOUNG SUPERHEATER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-13, 191a.

Ru 1 9 1 00 1 v. p A a Du t n m a P 2 SHEETS-31131 1.

C. D. YOUNG.

SUPERHEATER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.I3, 1913.

Patented Apr. 13, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

SUPERHEATIER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 13, 1913. Serial No. 806,382.-

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l[, CHARLES D. YOUNG, acitizen of the United States, residing at Altoona, in the county ofBlair and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new andusefullmprovements in Superheaters,

' of which the following is a specification.

tit the header 8 and the other in communication The invention relates tosuperheaters; and has for its primary objects, the 'provision of animproved arrangement of tubes and cooperating parts whereby any tube maybe removed for replacement or repair without disturbing other tubes; andthe provision ofimproved supporting and connecting means for the lengthsof superheater tubes located in the fire tubes whereby the spacesbetween the tubes may be conveni'ently relieved of cinder and otherforeign matter which collects and wedges into such spaces and reducesthe heat absorbing capacity of the tubes. One embodiment of theinvention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 isa longitudinal section taken through the front end of a locomotiveprovided with my improvement, the section being on the line II of Fig.2, Fig. 2 is a half section taken transversely through the smoke boX ofthe locomotive and showing the superheater in end elevation, Figs. 3 and1 are enlarged details of the means for connecting the superheater tubeswith the headerS, Fig. 3 being a plan view and Fig. 4 a side elevation,and Fig. 5 is an enlarged section throughone of the tire tubes and thesuperheater tube carried thereby, and shows the means for securing thelengths of superheater tubes in their proper relative positions.

Referring first to the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 2, 1 is theboiler of the locomotive provided with the usual dry pipe 2 and thevertical rows of fire tubes or fiues 3, 4, 5, and 6 (Fig. 2) 7 is acasting divided into two main headers or header chambers 8 and 9; 10 isone of the two outlet pipes leading from the header 9 to one of thecylinders of the engine, and 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 are the superheatertubes, each of which has one end in communication with *or sub-chamber16 which in turn communiwith which these tube ends communicate is'another row of holes which communicate with another pocket orsub-chamber 17 divided from the pocket 16 by the wall 18 (see Fig. 2),and it is with this second row of holes that the other ends of thesuperheater tubes communicate, the arrangement being suchthat the twoends of each tube are alongside of each other. The chamber 17 with whichthe other ends of the tubes communicate is in communication with theother superheater header or chamber 9, proper division walls beingprovided so that the alternate sub-chambers or pockets communicate withthe same header. This arrangement of pockets is well known in the artand will be readily understood without further description In theportion of the structure shown in Fig. 2 the alternate pockets 16 and 19communicate with the header 8 which receives the saturated steam, whiletheother pockets 17 and 20 communicate with the header 9 to which thesuper- 1 heated steam is supplied by the superheater tubes. It will thusbe seen that each of the superheater tubes is in communication at oneend with the saturated steam header 8, and at its other end with thesuperheater steam header 9.

The manner in which each pair of tube ends is secured in communicationwith the perforations or passages in the bottoms of the two headers willbe readily understood by reference to Figs. 3 and 4:. The tube sections21 and 22 constitute the ends of the same superheater pipe, and each endis upset as indicated at 23 and 24-, and has a beveled portion 25 whichis ground to make a tight fit with a corresponding surface in the bottomof the header. Mounted upon the tube ends 21 and 22 are the clampingblocks 26 and 27. These blocksare provided with interlocking hookportions 28 and 29 which prevent the separation of the blocks and at thesame time permit the blocks to be disengaged by a relative backward orforward movement. As indicated in dotted lines, the blocks fit with aconsiderable degree of looseness upon the tube ends, for a purpose to behereinafter pointed out. The two blocks are clamped in position againstthe underside of the headers,

engages a key slot 31 extending across the Patented apr. is, rats.

- purpose of this is to permit the more ready removal of the superheatertube lying just above. F or instance the tube ends 33 and 31 (Fig. 2) bytheir divergence avoid interference with the superheater tube ll lyingthereabove, and in fact avoids interference with the removal of any ofthe superheater tubes lying thereabove.

The foregoing arrangement, including the divergence of the tubes and theuse of the blocks detachably-secured together permits of the removal ofany superheater tube in the system-without the necessity of loosening orremoving any of the other superheater tubes. The manner in which thismay be accomplished will now be described. If it is desired to removethe bottom tube 15 lying in the fire tube 5 (Figs. 1 and 2), the nut onthe bolt 30 is first unscrewed (Fig. 4:) and the two blocks 26 and 27are slid downward until the blocks are entirely free from the clampingbolt 30. This can easily be accomplished because of the looseness of thefit of the blocks with respect to the tube ends. After the two blockshave been slipped down to a point below the securing bolt and below theadjacent securing blocks, one block is pulled forward and the othermoved to the rear until the parts 28 and 29 are unhooked. The blocks arethen free to move apart, and the tube carrying the two blocks can besprung sufliciently so that these blocks clear the ends of the tubeslying in front of them. At this time the upper ends of the tube 15 (Fig.2) will occupy the spaces 35 and 36between the vertical rows of firetubes, and the entire tube can then be moved forward, thus disengagingthe portion of the tube lying in the fire tube. The same operation isrepeated in removing any of the other superheater tubes, with theexception of the tubes 1]. lying in the upper fire tubes, such tubesbeing removable without disengaging the blocks or without springing thetubes, since .there are no tube ends in front of such upper superheatertubes 11.

Another feature of my invention consists in the means for supporting andspacing the tube lengths in the fire tubes. By reference to Fig. 5 itwill be noted that the four tube lengths 37, 38, 39 and 40 lying in thefire tube 5 are engaged by the strap iron members 41 and 42. The member41 partially encircles the outer sides of the pipes and is provided withtwo pair of projections 43 and 4A engaging the inner wall of the firetube and serving to hold the lengths in proper position with respect tothe fire tube.

The member 42 engages the inner side of the tube length and is securedto the member a l by means of the rivets 45. The advantage in thisarrangement resides in the fact that the spaces 46 and t? between andbelow the tubes are substantially unobstructed, thus permitting theready insertion of a cleaning tool 48 indicated in dotted lines. Thespaces between and below the tubes can therefore be very easily andeffectively relieved of cinder, and the super-heater tubes maintained attheir greatest efiiciency in so far as the absorption of heat isconcerned.

hat I claim is:

1. The combination in a boiler having fire tubes, of a superheaterhaving a pair of headers, 21 superheater tube having its ends connectedto the headers and comprising four lengths of tube lying in a fire tube,and. a band of strap metal encircling the two upper lengths of tube andthe lower lengths of tube with the exception of the inner sides theretowhich are left free, and also engaging the wall of the fire tube onopposite sides of its vertical center line whereby the vertical spacebetween the tubes and below the tubes is left unobstructed for thepassage of a cleaning tool.

2. The combination in a boiler having fire tubes, of a superheaterhaving a pair of headers, a superheater tube having its ends connectedto the headers and comprising four lengths of tube lying in a fire tube,a band of strap metal encircling the outer sides of all four lengths oftube and engaging the wall of the fire tube, leaving th inner sidesfree, another band encircling the inner sides of the said lengths butwith its ends engaging the lower lengths of tubes spaced apart to permitthe passage of a cleaning tool, and means connecting the two bands.

3. The combination in a boiler having fire tubes, a pair of superheaterheaders above one of the fire tubes and having passages through theirlower walls, a superheater tube lying in the fire tube and having itstwo ends upturned, a clamping block carried by each tube end, meanswhereby the two blocks are secured detachably together, and means forclamping the blocks against the bottoms of the said headers with onetube end in communication with one header and the other tube end incommunication with the other header.

4. The combination in a boiler having fire tubes, a pair of superheaterheaders above one of the fire tubes and having passages through theirlower walls, a superheater tube lying in the fire tube and having itstwo ends upturned, a clamping block carried by each tube end, meanswhereby the two blocks are secured detachably together, and a bolt lyingbetween the tubes for clampin both blocks against the bottoms of the saiheadmes es ers with one tube end in communication with one header andthe other tube end in communication with the other header.

5. The combination in a boiler having fire tubes, a pair of superheaterheaders above one of the fire tubes and having passages through theirlower walls, a superheater tube lying in the fire tube and having itstwo ends upturned, a clamping block carried by each tube end,interlocking means on the blocks for preventing their relative movementaway from each other, but permitting their disengagement by a relativebackward or forward movement, and means for clamping the blocks againstthe bottoms of the said headers with one tube end in communication with7 one header and the other tube end in communication with the otherheader.

6. The combination in a boiler having fire tubes, a pair of superheaterheaders above one of the fire tubes and having passages through theirlower walls, a superheater tube lying in the fire tube and having itstwo ends upturned, a clamping block mounted loosely upon each tube endand movable freely downward thereon, means whereby the two blocks aresecured detachably together, and means for clamping the blocks againstthe bottoms of the said headers with one tube end in communication withone header and the other tube end in communication with the otherheader.

7. The combinationin a boiler having fire tubes, a pair of superheaterheaders above one of the fire tubes and having passages through theirlower walls, a superheater tube lying in the fire tube and having itstwo ends upturned, a clamping block mounted loosely upon each tube endand movable freely downward thereon, interlocking means on the blockspreventing their relative movement away from each other, but permittingtheir disengagement by a relative backward or forward movement, andmeans for clamping the blocks against the bottoms of the said headerswith one tube end in communication with one header and the other tubeend in communication with the other header.

8. The combination'in a boiler having a vertical row' of fire tubes, apair of superheater headers above the said row of fire tubes having arow of passages through the bottom of each header with the said rows ofpassages alongside each other, a superheater tube in each fire tube withits outer ends turned up and spread apart to form a V, aclamping blockcarried by each tube end, means for detachably securing the blockscarried by the ends of the same tubes together, and means for clampingthe blocks to the bottoms of the headers with the ends of the tubes incommunication with the said passages through the bottoms of the headers.

9. The combination in a boiler having a vertical row of fire tubes, apair of superheater headers above the said row of fire tubes having arow of passages through the bottom of each header with the said rows ofpassages alongside each other, a superheater tube in each fire tube withits outer ends turned up, and means for detachably securing the saidends in communication with the said passages in the bottoms of theheaders with the ends of the same tube alongside each other and with oneend communicating with one header and the other end with the otherheader, the ends of the upper superheater tube communicating with theouter pair of passages and the ends of the next lower superheater tubecommunicating with the pair of passages next to the outer pair andstraddling the outer portions of the said upper superheater tube.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence ofthe two subscribed witnesses.

' CHARLES D. YOUNG.

Witnesses:

S. E. GEARHART, OTrro 18. Human.

